The champions of Cavan for 2012, front l/r: Seanie Smith, Fergal Brady, James O’Reilly, Michael Brady, Dermot Sheridan, Killian Brady, Daniel Smith, Philip Brady, Sean Briody, Eddie Dalton. Back: Jason Donohoe, Gerard Clerkin, Eddie O’Reilly, Noel Brady, Paddy Brady, Peter Paul Galligan, Eamon Brady, Christy Shiels, Tomás Nannery, Anthony Sheridan, Tommie Maguire, Ciaran McGee
got off to a shaky start minus the services of veteran full-back Ciaran Sheils, who had emigrated to the US, and young stars Killian Brady, Michael Brady and Raymond Lynch, who were all tied up with Cavan U21 duties. Incidentally, the latter three would go on to play crucial roles in the Breffni County’s Ulster title defence against Tyrone in Enniskillen on April 12. Lynch’s charges would open their campaign with a promising victory over intermediate hopefuls Ballyhaise, but things would turn ominous after that, as Plunkett explained: “We started off with a win over
Ballyhaise and lost our next four games after that, so things weren’t looking good for us at that stage. We weren’t playing to our potential at all, but thankfully our form began to pick up in May and we went on a bit of a winning-spree coming towards the championship.” Mullahoran’s senior status for 2013 would be all but confirmed by the time senior championship rolled around at the end of July when an opening round clash with neighbours Gowna would truly heat up the Dreadnoughts’ season. Played at Kingspan Breffni Park, Mullahoran would only have two scorers on the day, with Eddie O’Reilly’s 47th minute
free proving enough to secure a 0-8 to 0-7 win and put on foot in the quarter-finals. Six days later would see a battle with Killygarry take place at the same venue, where the winners would be guaranteed of a place in the last eight. After a poor start, which saw them slip behind by 1-5 to 0-2 by the 21st minute, Mullahoran demonstrated their deep resolve to boss their opponents in the secondhalf, with points from Michael Brady, Eddie O’Reilly and team captain Dermot Sheridan helping seal a 0-11 to 1-7 win, leaving the remaining group fixture against Cuchullains a ‘dead-rubber’ tie, which, incidentally,
Mullahoran’s finest, front l/r: Fergal Brady, James O’Reilly, Dermot Sheridan, Michael Brady, Daniel Smith, Philip Brady, Killian Brady. Eddie Dalton, Sean Briody. Back: Gerard Clerkin, Anthony Sheridan, Raymond Lynch, Norbert Smith, Paddy Brady, Enda O’Reilly, Peter Paul Galligan, Eamon Brady, Christy Shiels, Tomás Nannery, Eddie O’Reilly, Seanie Smith, Paul Brady, Noel Brady, Dominick Crudden, Tommy Maguire
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